Steering device for automobiles.



. A. DE LA-BARRE. STEERiNG DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION men JAN. lqfl-m-a.

' Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Irma/75071 A FRED an LA 3mm, or MINNEABOLIS, nnvnnsora. I

s'rnsnme nnvrcn roe auromomns.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, ALFRED DE LA BARBE, a citizen of the United States residing at Minneapolis, in-the county of Iiennepin and State: of Minnesota, have inventedcertain 'new and useful Improvements in Steering Devices for Automobiles, of which the fol lowing is a s ification.

My inventlon relates to steering devices fonaut-omobiles and has for its object to provide improved means whereby the ope-ra.

' tor can guide the vehicle with the least effort or strength'while at the same time automatically locking the wheels in any re quired position. It is a principal object of my invention toprovide such a construction that the vibration of the parts caused by the jolting of the vehicle and the action of the engine will not interferewith the perfect- 'oper'ation thereof, the construction and arrangementpf the partswhenassembled be, ing such that any stress or vibratioxrapplied to any of its parts will be sustained independently of each other. This result is accomplished by permitting the steerin shaft to oscillate in a vertical plane a 7 though merely through a small angl while at the. same time permitting the shaft to rotate for the vehicle.

the'purpose of guiding The full objects and advantagesof my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are perticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one forin,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my invention showing'the same applied to the dash and side framemember. of an automobile, parts of the frame member broken away. Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectionaljplan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the relation and arrangement ofthe transmissionparts. Fig. 3 is-a plan view of the means for supporting the steering shaft.

"Fig. {1 is across sectional -view,on-.an enlarged scale, taken 'on line 4=41of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational jview with parts broken away, showing-a cross sectional'view of the steering shaft and sleeve taken on line- 5 -5 of Fig. 1-.

,M invention, asshown, is-mounted upon aplate secured in front of dash 11 to'side frame member-12 of an automobile. The steering knuckles and connecting rod sf nn ring inthe' being v and 32. Followers and 36 are followers in. the groovesi0 Specification of Letters Patent. y I Patented Apr. 22, 1919,, Application filed January 1 o, 19 18. semi No. 211,123.

- i no part of the invention of this application and the details thereof are therefore not shown.

- A .stee fing shaft 13 rotatedby a hand -wheel 14 is rotatably journaled in asleeve 1 14;Which'is pivoted by bolts '15' in lugs16 and 17 formed expressly for that purpose and which are integralparts of a supporting casting'l8 secnre'ly fastened to plate 10. The lugs 16 and 17 have holes 19' and 20 which serve as bearings ;fi0r bolts 1-5 acting'as" pivots. The sleeve 14 is provided with" shoulders'21 and22 which fit between lugs.

vents the steering shaft 13 from sliding longitudinally but permits it to rotate :freely'. Ball beari gs arranged between members 23-, 14 and 4 will give easy rotation ofthe' shaft 13.. 'lhe'shaft. 13 is also supported in a sleeve 26 on dash 11 which .keeps it in proper position as'shownjin Fig.

1. The steering shaft, '13 carries a worm 25 ke'yedthereto'the threads27 of which en gage the threads of an" internally threaded,

worm nut 28, which, together with the parts now to be described, form the transmission elements which actuate theconnecting rods and steering knuckles. A shafit29 journaled' bearing '30 in supporting casting 18 has ri idly attached thereto apair 'of arms 3'1 an 32 identicalin form and which extend in thesame plane passing through the: I

axial center of shaft 29. Arms 31 and 32 are eachprovided with-shoulders 33 and 34,

of the shaft 29 but permit the same to oscillate'freely. The arms 31 and 32 have connection with-the worm 25 by means of a respectively, .whichproject against sides of the bearing 30. By this arreuigement the pair of followers 35 and 36 adapted toslide along grooves 37 and'38 in worm nut 28 the direction of the. length of the 31 provided with trunnions 39 and 40 of such SIZQHS to provide shoulders 41 and 42 which hold the Trunnions 39 and 1e hearings in arms 40 are .journaled in suita has a bearing43 in side frame member 12 and a portion of the shaft 29 extending over the side frame member has a crank 44 keyed thereto extending downwardly. Crank 44 has a shoulder 46 which projects against the side of the bearing 43. i

From the foregoing it will be readily apprehended that as-the steering shaft 13 is rotated the threads of the worm 25 engage the threads of the worm nut 28 and the same is propelled either backward or forward. By this movement of the Worm nut oscillatory movement is given to the shaft29 through arms 31 and-32 and the Wheels of the vehicle are tilted by the longitudinal motion given to connecting rod through arm 44. It will also be seen that any shift within the limits determined by the length of the Worm may be obtained, and furthermore the use of the worm and worm nut renders the steering gear self-locked in whatever position it is left. 4

The advantages of my invention will be apparent. The steering shaft is rotatably supported at two points with the force applied between the points of support. The

steering shaft itself is subjected to practically no strain or shock. Any forces applied to the shaft usually are taken longitudinally of the shaft and therefore do not tend to distort or loosen the connection with the steermg mechanism. Largely increased turning power is provided because of the relative long lever arm running to the point of application of power by means of a worm. This insures a graduated and certain turning of the steering wheels so easily that it can be effected with one hand under practically all conditions of service. striking of obstacles or dropping. into de pressions by the front wheels are carried directly to the frame and do not tend to disturb the steering mechanism.

Shocks arising from- I am aware that various modifications of my invention may be made without departstruction and arrangement of parts herein shown.

I claim:

1. A steering device for motor vehicles comprising a steering shaft, a support for the lower end of said shaft, means for horizontally pivoting said shaft to said support to permit both rotary and oscillating movements of said shaft, va member movable along said shaft upon rotation of the latter, and connections between said movable member and the steering wheels whereby the latter may be placed in any desired steering position.

2. A steering device for motor vehicles comprising a steering shaft, a sleeve in Which-the lower end of said shaft is journaled, a support to which said sleeve is horizontally pivoted, a member movable along said shaft upon rotation of the latter and connections between said movable member and the steerin wheels whereby the latter may be placed 1n any desired steering position.

3. A steering device for motor vehicles comprising a steering shaft, a support in which the lower end of said shaft is jour- I naled, a worm on said shaft, a single nut surrounding and threaded upon said worm so that rotation of said shaft will move said nut. along said shaft, said nut being formed with grooves in opposite sides thereof, followers slidable in said grooves, arms pivoted- In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

AIJFRED 15E LA BARRE. 

